During festive season in India, people get busy with various functions, back to back events, blow-outs, oiling, and styling done all in the same week. As a dermatologist, this period sees my clinics flooded with patients walking in with concerns of flakes, itchiness, falling hair, and dull and straw-like hair. However, all of these are usually preventable if you have an idea about what goes on with your scalp and hair, and what not to do in order to keep it healthy. Dr. Tanya shares insights on how to take care of your mane this festive season.
Our scalp is our skin, which is why it needs to be cared for in the same way as our facial skin. It tends to accumulate dead cells, oil, and residue from treatments throughout the year. This is particularly noticeable during the holiday season since we may be oiling our hair more frequently and using dry shampoo in between washes, as well as heavy styling products for special occasions. This may lead to blocked follicles and an unhealthy scalp environment, causing dandruff, irritation, and even temporary hair loss.
It has a low molecular weight, which means it can get underneath the top layer of the skin and loosen it. That is why exfoliating your scalp is beneficial and necessary, especially during the festive season. Chemical exfoliants such as salicylic acid can effectively penetrate the layer of grease on the scalp and remove it, thus, unclogging hair follicles and removing dead cells from the top layer of the epidermis. Another great acid for scalp exfoliation is glycolic acid. This helps shed dead skin cells and allows your other treatments to penetrate the scalp more easily. Both of these acids, when used one or two times per week, will smoothen and clarify your scalp, removing flakes and congestion, while still maintaining its natural protection barrier, unlike many physical scalp exfoliators.
